A method of continuous measurement of colouring of textile surfaces and a measuring machine for carrying out the method

Abstract

 The invention relates to a method of continuous colour measurement of flat textiles on a rewinding machine (2), on which the flat textile (5) being measured is guided along a predetermined path, whereby its surface is illuminated at the point of measurement, its colour being monitored by means of a sensor for detecting colours coupled to an evaluating device. The moving textile (5) being measured is illuminated at the point of measurement by diffuse light which is generated in an integrator from reference light radiated by a source (301) of light, whereby the diffuse light comes out of the integrator through a measuring orifice (300), whose distance from the textile (5) is maintained constant, and, silmultaneously, the light being measured, comprising the diffuse light reflected and scattered off the textile (5), is sensed from the inner space of the integrator by one channel, whereas by the other channel the reference light of the source (301) of light is sensed, whereupon the instantaneous spectrum of the reference light and the instantaneous spectrum of the measured light merged with the spectrum of the reference light are measured and from this the spectrum of the colour of the textile (5) being measured is computed.
The invention also relates to a measuring machine for carrying out the above-mentioned method.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a method of continuous colour measurement of flat textiles on a measuring machine, in which the textile to be measured is guided along a predetermined path, its surface is illuminated at the point of measurement and the colour of the surface is monitored by means of a sensor for detecting colours, coupled to an evaluating device.

[0002] The invention is also related to a measuring machine for carrying out the above-mentioned method, whereby the measuring machine comprises means of moving the textile through the measuring zone, means of stretching the textile and at least one measuring head, movable crosswise to the direction of the motion of the textile.

Background art

[0003] Most flat textiles are manufactured from primary fibrous raw materials by weaving, knitting or by another method. These so-called grey goods subsequently undergo treatment so as to obtain the required characteristics to fit users' demands, i.e. the appearance, touch and shape stability of the product.

[0004] One of the methods of achieving the required appearance of a textile fabric is dyeing. The textile is passed through a dye bath either stretched full width or rolled-up in the so-called "rope form". Both of these methods lead to the uneven dyeing of the whole strip of the textile being treated at a time, which is caused e.g. by unevenly dispersed pigment in the dye bath, by the fact that the dye bath gradually becomes exhausted and by the uneven squeezing of the dyeing liquor from the textile by means of calenders at the outlet of the dyeing machine both in the direction of the width of the textile due to uneven pressure along the nip line of the rollers and along the circumference as a result of the circumferential run-out motion of the squeeze rollers. The chemical reaction of the dye with the material of the flat textile is not completed until the textile is completely dried and, therefore, the rate at which the chemical reaction proceeds differs in different parts of the textile. Uneven distribution of colour throughout the dyed textile - with regard to the demand of the same colour when the dyed samples are compared to one another - is also caused by acceptable weight allowances of individual colour components of the dye bath when the dye bath is re-prepared according to the same recipe, or it is due to the necessity of using another batch of one of the colour components after it is exhausted.

[0005] To find out after the completion of the dyeing process whether the prescribed hue and colour uniformity have been obtained, the control of colour distribution of the finished textile is carried out by a knowledgeable expert on inspection machines. Although the control is performed substantially continuously, it is very subjective and makes no guarantee of the exact identification of the colour obtained, or the colour distribution or the colour uniformity. Even if a defect is found and identified by an expert, it does not necessarily mean that it is an actual defect, i.e. that it is out of the tolerance zone, since the expert's assessment is based on upon subjective judgment.

[0006] Therefore, subjective assessment of colour is supplemented with measuring colour by means of instruments, which is more objective. This measurement is not continuous, but is performed either by means of a portable manually-operated apparatus in specific areas on a textile which has been stopped, or the measurement is carried out in a laboratory on cut-out samples of the textile in the air-conditioned environment using precision laboratory instruments, which is the most accurate method of measurement, but since it is performed only on the samples removed from the textile, it does not provide comprehensive information about the quality of the colour of the whole textile. Moreover, the results obtained from portable manually-operated apparatuses and those obtained from laboratory instruments are not compatible.

[0007] The disadvantage of this common method of the textile colour control is the fact that the whole textile is judged only subjectively. Other drawbacks include the fact that the specific areas on the textile are measured only locally and that the number of the samples, which, however, had to be cut out of the textile and measured in the laboratory, is rather limited. From this follows low labour productivity as well as impossibility of intervention in the technology of the dyeing process in the dyeing machine, since both evaluation and measurement are performed outside the dyeing machine on a product which has already been completed.

[0008] The colour of any object perceived by the human eye is a complex result of three factors - of the wave spectrum of the light source illuminating the object, such as the sunlight, bulb, discharge lamp, UV lamp, etc., of absorption capacity, reflectance or the luminescence of the surface of the object depending on the wavelength of the light, whereby these properties are dependent on the material the object is made of, the characteristics of its surface, colour pigments of paints, etc., and, finally, of the sensitivity of the three types of colour receptors of the human eye depending on the wavelength of the light which is reflected off the object and falls on them, i.e. the receptors of red, green and blue. These three functions of the sensitivity of the human eye, dependent on the wavelength of the light, are called CIE colour-matching functions.

[0009] Since it is not possible to determine the excitation of the third receptors from the known excitation of any of the two remaining types of the receptors, the values of the CIE colour-matching functions are mutually independent. So as to obtain a match in the perceived colour of an object during repeated observations, the light, the object and the observer must be identical. In order to provide an objective assessment of the object colour and in order to enable construction of an apparatus for instrumental measurements, the light and the observer must be standardized. The standards produced by the international institution "Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage" (CIE) are recognized worlwide.

[0010] Instrumental measurement enables to identify the colour of an object by means of three independent numbers X, Y, Z, referred to as trichromatic components, and in this manner define the abstract 3D colour space (X, Y, Z). The conversion into any other colour space coordinates, e.g. (L*, a*, b*), is implemented by an appropriate mathematical transformation. Considering the fact that with a change in the intensity of illumination while maintaining a fixed spectrum, we perceive the colour of an object lighter or darker, but of the same hue, it is customary for colour description to distinguish between lightness L* and hue coordinates a* and b*. The coordinate a* represents the transition from green (negative values) to red (positive values). The coordinate b* represents the transition from blue (negative values) to yellow (positive values). The hue a* = 0, b* = 0 corresponds to achromatic colours, which may have different levels of lightness L*, namely from 0 for ideal black, 50 for neutral grey up to 100 for ideal white. This is how one of the most commonly used colour spaces (L*, a*, b*) is defined and standardized by CIE. The calculation of the overall colour difference between two points of colour space which are distinguished by index 1 and 2 is defined by the following equation:

see the document "CIE 15.3 Colorimetry" (2004).

[0011] The basic component of the instruments for measuring colour is a light source which illuminates the object being measured. Besides the spectral properties of the light, it is also important if it creates a bundle of rays spreading from one point to all directions (point light), a bundle of parallel rays (collimated light), or, on the contrary, if it creates light that falls on the illuminated object from all directions (diffuse light). Each of the types of light reacts with the surface of the object being measured in a different manner. Collimated light creates conditions for producing significant specular reflection off the surface being measured. Point and collimated light create conditions for stronger perception of the surface structure of the object by making shadows behind elevated points, thereby colorimetric and appearance parameters are combined. Generally, the most suitable method is illuminating the object being measured with diffuse light, which is especially true for measuring flat textiles. However, the construction of such a light source is considerably more complicated and more expensive. The light reflected off the object is influenced by the colour of the object. The reflected light is guided to an analyzer, where it undergoes a more or less detailed spectral analysis.

[0012] There are two fundamental methods of instrumental colour measurement of flat textile materials. The first, the so-called angular method, utilizes a collimated light bundle of a source for directional illumination of a sample of the textile to be measured. The light reflected off the sample is a mixture of specularly reflected light (in accordance with the theory of the angle of reflection being equal to the angle of incidence) and the scattered light. As a rule, it is the scattered reflected light that is analyzed. The angle of directional illumination measured from the normal of the sample surface generally ranges from 30° to 60°, typically 45°, the angle of scanning being typically 0°. The method is then denoted as e.g. 45°/0°. This method is applied, for example, in DE10102607A. Also, the reverse arrangement 0°/45° is used, e.g. in WO2005/108083A1, or various modifications to multi-angle arrangement, such as using more point light or collimated light sources disposed on a circle or multiple circles with different radii situated above one another, which radiate under different angles, see EP1936337B1, EP2637004A1, to obtain illumination approaching diffuse light which is considered the most appropriate.

[0013] The second method utilizes a source of diffuse light. The required light diffusion is achieved by bringing light from a light source to a so-called integrator. One of the variants of the integrator is an integrating sphere, i.e. a cavity of spherical shape, whereby the light entering the sphere is perfectly scattered due to multiple reflections of the light off the inner walls covered with a highly reflective coating. As a result, the light coming out of the integrating sphere through an orifice in another part of it and falling on a sample of the textile being measured has homogeneous spectrum and intensity, the sample being illuminated by diffuse light. The diffuse light comes out of the integrator through a measuring orifice which is in contact with the textile being measured which is not moving.

[0014] There is one problem that needs to be solved in connection with a light source for the continuous colour measurement of a textile fabric - a sufficiently long service life of the light source. Generally, xenon discharge lamps are used as light sources for laboratory instruments. Their benefit is a very intense electrical discharge exhibiting suitable spectral properties, whose intensity can be controlled electronically so that all the discharges are identical. Nevertheless, the discharge is very short, of the order of microseconds, whereas the time period during which the electrical sources of the xenon discharge lamps are recharged is, in contrast, very long, of the order of seconds, and, as a result, the frequency of manual measuring when using them is so small that virtually it is not necessary to deal with problems of the apparatus being extraordinary heated. A very long period of recharging the electrical sources of the xenon discharge lamp is the reason why it is totally unsuitable for being used directly for continuous measurement. Another reason for this is a short service life of the xenon discharge lamp, namely approximately 10⁶ discharges.

[0015] If a xenon discharge lamp is used for manual measuring in a laboratory, the average frequency being 20 measurements an hour during 16 hours/a day, and if it is in operation non-stop for 300 days/a year, the average service life of the xenon discharge lamp is 3125 days, i.e. 10.4 years.

[0016] However, in continuous measurement it is necessary to repeat the measurements all the time and utilize the maximum possible frequency of repeating discharges, namely approximately 1/sec, i.e. with a frequency of 3600/an hour, which constitutes the life service of only 17.4 days under the same operating conditions. With a set required distance of two successive measurements on a fabric, a low frequency of repeating discharges is certainly a limiting factor for the maximum allowable speed of the motion of the textile being measured, as well as for the time period of its measurement, and, consequently, for the measurement productivity.

[0017] When selecting a light source for continuous measuring of colour, it is therefore possible to use either a switched multispectral (white) LED diode, or known steady-on incandescent light sources, such as the halogen bulb. LED diodes are characterized by high resistence to repeated switching, considerably higher luminous efficiency and an extremely long life service in the order of 10⁴ hours, as compared to that of halogen bulbs - 10³ hours. On the other hand, they lack a sufficiently wide spectrum of wavelengths for very precise measurements of colour in the spectrum of visible light (VIS). Also, it has not been known yet how their properties will be changing during their service life, since the white colour of light is obtained by means of coatings on the electrodes containing special luminophores, but these luminophores gradually vapourize. Yet there are special applications in which they are recommended to be used but, at the same time, the requirements for the spectral properties of such a light source are not so high. These applications include, for example, light sources for the optical fibres of medical instruments, such as endoscopes, or those for industrial projection equipment, see US8493564B2. Beside these extremely efficient LED sources, other solutions are being disclosed, which employ sequentially switched individual LEDs having different wavelengths, which constitute a set covering in total the entire required band of wavelengths, see US8149405B2, or a set of LEDs having different wavelengths is used in combination with dichroic filters which constitute a multiedge dichroic beamsplitter, for example according to US8446585B2.

[0018] Another alternative uses a limited set of LEDs combined with a plurality of colour standards used for the calibration of the device, as it is described in US5844680A (WO96/09524). In all these solutions which have been mentioned here and which comprise a set of LEDs, the measured colour spectrum is insufficient for measuments with high precision. It is only units or, at the most, tens of sub-bands of the required wavelength band that are measured. However, e.g., in the region of VIS 360 to 760 nm, for the purpose of highly precise colour measurement, it is necessary to measure in sub-bands of wavelengths which are not wider than 1 nm, i.e., to measure at least 400 values. Also, highly efficient LEDs have a long service life conditioned by very effective cooling, and so, when using them, similar technical problems with heating have to be solved as in incandescent light sources.

[0019] Another known method is using a combination of a steady halogen bulb and discharges of a xenon arc lamp according to WO96/42010. Each of these sources has a lower luminous output than if it was used separately, which means that in the case of the bulb there are less problems with cooling, while the discharge lamp needs a shorter period of time to be recharged. Both the light sources complement each other spectrally, since the discharge lamp extends the spectrum of the halogen bulb in the region of short wavelengths, whereas the halogen bulb diminishes the relative size of the peak of the spectrum of the xenon discharge lamp.

[0020] Special techniques have been developed for measuring the colour of objects with pronounced textured surface, e.g. according to US8441642B2. Here the measurement field is sensed by an image sensor with a large number of image points (pixels), similar to CCD or CMOS sensors of digital cameras or film cameras. The colour of each pixel is analyzed separately. Pixels bearing no information, i.e., points or areas which are too bright or too dark, are excluded from the analysis. In the remaining pixels the inclination of the surface of the object to be measured is analyzed and the colour information is corrected in such a manner as if all the pixels had the same inclination towards the illumination.

[0021] One of the major problems of the background art as to the procedure of the colour measurement of flat textiles is the above-mentioned incompatibility of measurement results obtained by different methods. We understand it as the incompatibility of the results of measurements performed by different methods of measurement, i.e. the angle method and the method using an integrating sphere, and the incomparability of the measurement results from portable measuring instruments and from laboratory measuring instruments using the same method of measurement. This discrepancy cannot be removed by calibration with help of standards provided by certification institutions. Portable measuring instruments measure discontinuously.

[0022] The angular method is significantly affected by the surface texture of the textile due to the illumination by point light or collimated light bundle and, as a result, it provides different values of lightness L*. At the same time, it generates lower intensity of the reflected scattered light than the illumination by nearly perfect diffuse light from an integrating sphere. As the stability and accuracy of measurement depend on the excitation level of the spectrophotometer analyzers sensors, the accuracy of colour measurement with the integrating sphere is higher.

[0023] There is also another cause of the discrepancy between the results of portable and laboratory instruments. Supposedly, portable devices are powered by portable sources of electrical energy, i.e. by batteries and accumulators. The dimensions and weights of the portable devices have to be smaller as well. Therefore, the light sources and the measuring components, e.g. the integrating spheres, are also smaller. The typical size of the integrating sphere of portable devices is 3", whereas in the case of laboratory devices it is 6". Considering the ratio of their inner areas (6/3)² = 4, the light source of a larger sphere has to have by the same value higher radiation output. A small integrating sphere has a smaller area of the measuring orifice than a large one, namely approximately in the same ratio equal to 4, and thus integrates through a smaller area of the sample of the textile being measured. Nevertheless, the size of the surface structure of the textile being measured remains the same in both cases. There hasn't been known yet any analytical transformation relation that would be able to compensate for this influence in a general case. However, it follows from the nature of both methods that in the case of high-quality diffuse illumination, that is illumination by integrating spheres, the influence of the size of the measurement field of the integrating sphere will be smaller than in the case of change in the size of the measurement field in the angular method.

[0024] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the discontinuous methods of colour measurement, attention was paid to developing continuous methods of colour measurement. Considering the length of the textile to be measured, it is always necessary to use a rewinding machine, which rewinds the textile either from a cylindrical package (a roll) to another one, or from a folded pile to a second one, depending on which method of handling the textiles is used in a particular production process. The rewinding machine comprises a controlled drive, ensuring the constant speed of the motion of the textile, and a tension regulatory device to ensure the required size and low fluctuation in the longitudinal tension in the textile at the point of colour measurement, or, if need arises, another device to ensure straightening the textile in the crosswise direction. The rewinding machine also ensures transversal and vertical motion of the measuring heads in relation to the textile being measured, which is necessary for measuring, and the vertical motion of the measuring heads to move them away from the measured textile in order to enable the passage of the seams of a sewn textile and for calibration.

[0025] The device for continuous colour measurement may be included in a dyeing line and, with advantage, it may utilize the results of online measurements of colour deviations for controlling the dyeing machine using feedback so that the colour of the textile can be continuously maintained within required limits. Therefore, throughout the whole text of this patent document, including the patent claims, also the part of the dyeing line, namely the part which ensures the functions for colour measurements which have been described in the preceding paragraph for an independent rewinding machine, will be referred to as a rewinding machine.

[0026] The second part of the measuring machine is a measuring head, which comprises optical means for the realization of the selected method of measuring, that is a light source, collimators of the light source and of the reflected measured light, an integrating sphere, etc., electrical power supplies, an analyzer of the measured light, ventilators for cooling and mains. As an alternative, the sources of electricity, the analyzer and the ventilators for cooling may be arranged stationarily outside the measuring head and connected to it by means of electrical and optical cables and air hoses. The measuring head either may move crosswise in either direction above the moving fabric (as a result, the track of successive measurements on the fabric has a saw tooth shape), see e.g. EP0889320B1, or the prospectus of the German company Mahlo for the machine Colorscan CIS-12, or the apparatus SpectroEdge of the company Techkon, USA; or there are multiple stationary measuring heads hung crosswise above the fabric wherein the tracks of the measurements are longitudinal parallel line segments on the fabric, and their number equals the number of the measuring heads, e.g. in JPH08015028A (29th June, 1994) or DE10102607A1 (21st Januar, 2001), or see "Automated vision inspection systems increase customer confidence in the textile industry", in: Shelton Vision Systems Ltd, Issue 07/04/2005, 29th September 2004, or EP2394162B1. The advantage of the continuous method of colour measurement of a flat textile is the objective measurement of the whole piece of the textile fabric, although relatively sparsely and on predefined tracks.

[0027] The measuring devices for continuous colour measurement, known so far and commercially available, are based on the angular measurement principle, see, e.g., DE10102607A1 with the 45°/0° measuring geometry, or the prospectus of the company Mahlo for the machine Colorscan CIS-12, or the apparatus SpectroEdge of the company Techkon, USA, with the 0°/45° measurement geometry. Their disadvantage is the above-mentioned lower accuracy of measurement. On the other hand, their advantage is simple construction and a relatively low price which results from it, as well as low sensitivity of measurement to a change in the distance of the measuring head from the fabric, which is typically given in centimetres or tens of centimetres.

[0028] Known is also a method of continuous measuring, see the reference to JP51-99088A in US7684041 B2, wherein the measured textile moves, and upon reaching a preset mark, the textile is stopped and pressed downward to the measuring head, whereupon the colour is measured. This method, however, has low labour productivity.

[0029] Continuous colour measurement of a fabric is associated with the problem of the translucence of the textile. Flat textiles, especially fabrics, are thin and to some extent translucent. When the textile is illuminated during the measurement process, part of the light passes through the textile. If there is free space under it, the light is not reflected back and the light which has passed through does not contribute to creating the measured scattered light, reflected off the textile. As a result, lower values of the lightness L* of the colour are measured. If there is a screen under the textile, part of the light is reflected off it and the colour of the screen is blended with the colour of the textile. Therefore, in general terms, a different hue, defined as a* and b*, is measured, as well as different lightness L*. This problem is currently solved on laboratory instruments by folding the sample cut out of the textile being measured several times, e.g. three times. Another well-known method is using a transparent screen made of polyethylene, as it is disclosed in the patent US3999860, during measuring the colour of paper. When the screen is used for measuring a flat textile, the light which has passed directly through the screen without interacting with the textile is scattered in the screen, and so is the light reflected off the textile. The light reflected off the screen back above the textile will have a colour hue similar to the hue of the textile. Due to the low abrasion resistance of polyethylene this method cannot be used for continuous colour measurement of a textile. Since it is the colour of one side of the textile that is measured and the polyethyelene screen assumes the colour of the other side of the textile, this method cannot be used in cases when the front and reverse sides of the textile differ in colour, e.g. in prints. Another well-known method of correcting the translucence of the material is carrying out repeated measurements of the same point with two screens having different, but known reflectances. For conversion, the computing correction according to Kubelka-Munk theory of reflectance, see, e.g. Wyszecki, G., Stiles, W. S.: "Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae", John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1982, sec. ed. 2000. Generally, the measurement is made against the background of a white and black screen, formed directly by the surfaces of colour standards (reference tiles), or e.g. by colour coatings, which are metrologically related to these colour standards. These methods are protected for manufacturing paper, e.g., WO 96/42010, or the patent US3936189 protects the utilization of a light trap instead of a black screen, which simulates a surface with minimum reflectivity. Another method protected by the patent EP0181155A2 is measuring the colour of paper provided with a backing consisting of a plurality of layers of the standard product, which is paper of the required colour hue, simulating the measuring of endlessly thick material in the same manner as it is customary to perceive the colour of the transparent paper by the user. These multi-layer backings, which represent the prevailing part of the production of the producer, are arranged in an eight-fold revolver turret, which can be turned to a desired position by a stepping motor.

[0030] Another problem associated with continuous colour measurement of flat textiles is the calibration of the measuring head or multiple measuring heads. In portable or laboratory apparatuses it is performed manually several times a day by placing a white, black and control reference tile successively to the measuring orifice of the apparatus. Optionally, this procedure may be used for continuous measurement using one measuring head moving crosswise above the textile. However, this is a serious problem in the case of multiple measuring heads, since manual calibration would be extremely laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, calibration must be performed automatically. It is possible to install a set of reference tiles in each measuring head, placed in a sliding or rotating holder, but considering the price of the reference tiles and the fact that new reference tiles will have to be purchased every year, this concept involves high annual operating costs for the user of the device. For this reason, it is more advantageous to use one set of reference tiles, which is shared by all the measuring heads. Known are methods, wherein calibration means are mounted in the measuring head, see, e.g., EP1642098B1, or wherein calibration means are moved by a linear motor to multiple stationary measuring heads, such as JPH08015018A.

Principle of the invention

[0031] The principle of the method of continuous colour measurment of a textile acording to the invention consists in that a moving textile to be measured is illuminated at the point of measurement by diffuse light, which is created in the integrator from the reference light radiated by a light source, whereby the diffuse light is emitted from the integrator through a measuring orifice, whose distance from the textile being measured is kept constant, and, simultaneously, the diffuse light reflected and scattered off the textile and mixed with the reference light of the light source is sensed by one measuring channel, whereas the reference light of the light source alone is sensed by a second measuring channel at the same time, whereupon the instataneous spectrum of the reference light is measured, as well as the instantaneous spectrum of the measured light merged with the spectrum of the reference light. From these values the spectrum of the colour of the textile being measured is computed, whereby by using a suitable screen under the textile being measured at the point of measurement, the translucence of the measured textile is compensated for. The method improves the quality of continuous colour measurement of the textile so that it is comparable to laboratory measurement, by which means the whole process of measuring becomes cheaper and, moreover, it enables feedback to control the dyeing process if the method is applied in the dyeing line.

[0032] In order to obtain results corresponding to the laboratory results, it is advantageous if before starting the continuous measuring process, the first colour measurement is performed on the textile which has been stopped during the contact of the measuring orifice of the integrator with the textile and the second measurement is made above the textile at a nominal distance of the measuring orifice from the textile which has remained stopped, whereby both the results of the measurements are used to determine a corrective coefficient for the following continuous measurements. By using the corrective coefficient, the colour measured at the nominal distance of the measuring orifice from the textile is recalculated to the colour of the same point of the textile as if it would have been measured in contact of the measuring orifice with the textile and at the same time the extraneous radiation entering the measuring orifice is eliminated.

[0033] So as to maintain the quality of measurement, it is favourable if the procedure of stopping the textile and measuring the colour during the contact of the measuring orifice with the textile and the colour measurement at a nominal distance of the measuring orifice from the stopped textile is repeated at selected time or length intervals.

[0034] For the purpose of storing the data about the detected colour of the textile, the computed spectrum of the colour of the textile being measured is assigned to a particular point on the textile where the measurement was made, and the spectrum of the colour of the textile being measured together with the assigned point of the textile are stored in the memory and/or are displayed and/or are used for feedback control of the dyeing process.

[0035] In one specific advantagous embodiment, the integrator is an integrating sphere, which is provided at the point of measurement above the textile with a measuring orifice for the passage of diffuse light in both directions. In addition, it is advantageous if the dimensions of the integrating sphere are the same as those of the integrating sphere of an apparatus used (for the purpose of comparison) in the laboratory, that is usually 6", because then it is possible to compare the results of continuous measurements with those of laboratory discontinuous measurements.

[0036] If it is necessary - for whatever reasons - to rewind the textile being measured back onto the original package or put it back to the folds, it is advantageous to carry out the colour measurements also during the reverse motion of the textile, whereby the integrator is situated in a different position relative to the width of the textile, which means that a different part of the textile is measured.

[0037] In order to obtain more accurate results of measurement, it is favourable, when performing all the above-mentioned measurements, if at least two integrators, arranged in different areas of the textile being measured, are employed. Hence, those skilled in the art will use such a number of integrators that will ensure the required accuracy of measurement.

[0038] The principle of the measuring machine acording to the invention consists in that the measuring head comprises a source of reference light and an integrator for creating diffuse light from the reference light, which is provided at the point of measurement with a measuring orifice, whereby the measuring head is mounted on a cross beam and is coupled to means of monitoring and maintaining a constant distance of the measuring orifice of the integrator from the textile during measuring and the integrator is interconnected via two luminous conductors with a two-channel simultaneous spectrum analyzer, whose outlet is interconnected with a computer for collecting, analyzing and displaying data of the colour of the textile, whereby at the point of measurement the textile is provided with a screen for the compensation of the translucence of the textile when being measured.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the integrator is composed of an integrating sphere, whereby the diameter of the integrating sphere in the preferred embodiment is 6".

[0040] In order to prevent the influence of the translucence of the textile, it is favourable if the textile being measured is at the point of measurement provided with a screen consisting of at least one layer of the same textile.

[0041] It is advantageous, especially for the textiles with a different colour of the face side and the reverse side, if the layer used as a screen under the textile at the point of measurement is composed of a cylindrical package on a roll, which, ideally, the textile touches or passes tangentially above it.

[0042] In another alternative embodiment, the layer/layers used as a screen/screens under the textile being measured is/are composed of the measured textile which, having passed through the point of measurement, is guided in the reverse direction. This embodiment cannot be used for textiles with a different colour of the face and reverse sides.

[0043] For textiles which have been produced and stored in folds the layer/layers used as a screen under the textile being measured are formed by the end of the textile, whereby the beginning of the textile is inserted in the feeding device and guided through the measuring place to a depositing place, where it is wound on a winding roller or placed in folds as required.

[0044] In another alternative embodiment, the textile being measured is provided in measurement zone with a screen of grey achromatic colour, which is identical or similar by its lightness to that of the textile being measured.

[0045] For monitoring the distance of the measuring orifice from the textile and maintaining it constant, the measuring head is mounted on a movable member, which is displaceably in a vertical direction mounted on a vertical linear guide system, which is mounted on a cross beam, whereby the movable member is coupled to a drive whose control circuit includes a sensor of the distance of the measuring orifice from the textile.

[0046] To ensure the transverse motion of the measuring head, the movable member with the measuring head is adjustably mounted on a cross beam in a crosswise direction, whereby it is adjustable in the crosswise direction outside the width of the textile, where a magazine of reference tiles is arranged, and the measuring orifice of the integrator is able to occupy a position above the reference tile, approach it and get into contact with it.

Description of drawings

[0047] The invention will be described hereinafter with the aid of the enclosed drawings, where Fig. 1 represents a block scheme of a measuring machine, Fig. 2 shows a block scheme of a measuring head, Fig. 3 shows the winding of a textile on a cylindrical package, which is used as a screen under the textile at the point of measurement, Fig. 4 represents the winding of a textile on a cylindrical package driven by a pair of rollers, Fig. 5a, 5b, 5c show various options of guiding the textile at the point of measurement, Fig. 6 a multi-folded inner end of the textile under the point of measurement, whereby the textile is stored in folds in a tub of a rewinding machine, Fig. 6b shows storing the textile in folds on a carriage in the shape of a stand, Fig. 6c storing the textile on a flat carriage, Fig. 7 a screen under the textile consisting of multiple layers at the point of measurement formed by a cutting of the textile wrapped around a board or frame, Fig. 8a, 8b show the mounting of the measuring head on a cross beam with a drive by means of a rack and pinion, in Fig. 9a, 9b there is a mounting of the measuring head on a cross beam with a drive by means of a toothed belt, in Fig. 10a, 10b an arrangement for transferring reference tiles.

Examples of embodiment

[0048] The measuring machine 1 for the continuous colour measurement of flat textiles comprises a rewinding machine 2, on which are adjustably mounted measuring heads 3 which are for mutual exchange of information connected to a rewinding machine 2 and to a control and evaluating computer 4 which is for mutual exchange of information simultaneously connected to the rewinding machine 2, whereby in an advantageous unillustrated embodiment the computer 4 and a control unit of a dyeing machine are interconnected, and so it is possible to influence the dyeing process itself according to the results of the colour measurements of the resultant textile.

[0049] As it is apparent from Fig. 1, the measuring machine 1 may comprise one measuring head 3 which moves crosswise to the textile, whereby in an advantageous embodiment it is a reversible periodical motion, or it is possible to use multiple measuring heads 3 which either measure the textile on multiple tracks parallel to the edge of the textile, or they move in the crosswise direction to the textile, preferably in a reversible periodical manner.

[0050] The measuring head 3 represents a sensor for measuring and basic spectral analysis of the measured colour hue. The measuring head 3 comprises a source of diffuse scattered light generated by an integrator, which could be, for example, an integrator of a "cylinder and funnel type" in which the illumination is realized by adding milk-colour glass inside the cylinder and the funnel is usually made of anodized aluminium, or it is possible to utilize a hemisphere integrator, which is made up of a discrete or continuous system of reflective surfaces ensuring a multi-directional illumination. Ideally, the integrator is composed of a hemisphere ensuring illumination from any point of the surface above the sample. The diameter of the hemisphere determines the intensity of the incident light.

[0051] In yet another example of embodiment described hereinafter, which is shown in Fig. 2, the integrator is an integrating sphere 30. In the measuring head 3 according to the invention the integrating sphere 30 having a diameter of 6" is used, which is the same diameter as it is used in laboratory instruments.

[0052] The integrating sphere 30 is connected with a source 301 of light, formed in the example of embodiment by a halogen bulb and correction filters to limit UV and IR radiation and adjust the colour temperature of the light to 6500 °K. The light is radiated from the source into the inner space of the integrating sphere 30, restricted by an opaque shade 302, from which it is partially reflected as reference light to the inlet collimator 303 of the luminous conductor 304 of reference light. The light which bypasses the shade 302 generates as a result of the reflection off the walls of the integrating sphere 30 diffusely scattered light which passes through the measuring orifice 300 in the integrating sphere 30 and falls on the surface of the textile being measured 5, by which it is partially absorbed and partially is reflected and diffused, thus creating the measured light. This measured light is after passing through the space of the integrating sphere collected and focused by a collimator 305a into the inlet collimator 305b of the luminous conductor 306 of the light being measured. Both the luminous conductors 304, 306 are guided into a two-channel simultaneous spectrum analyzer 31, in which the luminous conductor 304 of the reference light is terminated by an outlet collimator 311 of the reference light and the luminous conductor 306 of the measured light is terminated by an outlet collimator 312 of the measured light. The two-channel simultaneous spectrum analyzer 31 is provided with known unillustrated diffraction grids and slots, suitable for the selected region of wavelengths of light and is powered from a stabilized power supply 32 of the analyzer. The outlet 310 of the spectrum analyzer is in a well-known manner connected to an unillustrated computer. Using a spectrally identical source of light and the same size of the integrating sphere as in laboratory instruments enables comparison of the results of the continuous measurements with the results of the laboratory measurements.

[0053] Two-channel simultaneous measurement involves the simultaneous measuring of, firstly, the instantaneous spectrum of the reference light of the source 301 of light brought to the spectrum analyzer 31 by the luminous conductor 304, and, secondly, the instantaneous spectrum of the reference light of the source 301 merged with the spectrum of the measured light which is reflected and scattered off the textile 5 being measured and brought to the spectrum analyzer 31 by a luminous conductor 306 of the measured light. On the basis of both these spectra, the spectrum of the colour of the textile being measured is computed. Also, in this manner the instantaneous fluctuation of the spectrum of the light source is compensated for.

[0054] For the accuracy of measurements, a small distance of the measuring orifice 300 of the integrating sphere 30 from the textile 5 is essential, the distance being maintained constant, usually given in units of millimetre, hereinafter being referred to as a nominal measuring distance. In an advantagous embodiment, the nominal measuring distance is equal to 1 mm. The small distance of the measuring orifice 300 from the textile 5 decreases the intensity of the light illuminating the textile minimally and prevents the unwanted ambient light from entering the integrating sphere 30. Achieving the desired accuracy of measurements also requires a small allowable variation in the distance of the measuring orifice 300 from the textile 5, which in the example of embodiment equals ± 0.05 mm. So as to ensure such a high accuracy of the distance, the measuring head is provided with an unillustrated laser sensor of the distance, which continuously measures the distance of the measuring orifice 300 from the textile 5 and provides information to the control circuit. To achieve further restriction of the influence of the ambient light, the measuring head 3 may be provided with an unillustrated shade, located concentrically with the measuring orifice 300 of the integrating sphere 30.

[0055] The source 301 of the light of the integrating sphere 30 is supplied with power from a stabilized power supply 33. The power supplies 32 and 33 are connected in a known manner by means of a conductor 330 to an unillustrated source of electrical current.

[0056] The measuring head 3 is equipped with two independent cooling circuits with ventilators 34, which are powered by stabilized supplies 35, which are connected to thermometers 36 placed in defined positions of the measuring head 3. The first cooling circuit serves to cool the halogen bulb of the source 301 of light of the integrating sphere 30 and is composed of a ventilator 341, a stabilized power supply 351 and a thermometer 361 arranged in the vicinity of the halogen bulb. The second cooling circuit is made up of a ventilator 342, a stabilized power supply 352 and a thermometer 362 arranged in a different area of the measuring head 3, in which it is necessary to measure the temperature, e.g., in the space of the spectrum analyzer or in the space where electronics is installed. In Fig. 2 the system of measuring temperatures and cooling is represented only schematically, whereby for those skilled in the art it is common practice to place the thermometer in an appropriate position and to bring the cooling air into the same place or another place as needed. The regulation of the cooling process is carried out by changing the revolutions of the ventilators. In an advantagous unillustrated embodiment, part of the cooling air is diverted, passes through the integrating sphere 30 and reduces the depositing of the textile dust in the inner space of the integrating sphere 30, thus, in the long run, maintaining a constant luminous intensity of the integrating sphere 30.

[0057] The spectrum analyzer 31 and/or power supplies 32, 33 and/or ventilators 34 of cooling may be located stationarily in a box on a rewinding machine and connected to a measuring head by electrical and optical cables and hoses. In Fig. 2 there are options of dividing stationary sections from the measuring section of the measuring head 3, indicated by the dashed lines.

[0058] In an unillustrated embodiment, ventilators 34 may be replaced by compressed air cooling system connected to the central mains of the compressed air on the shop floor via a unit of filtration and air treatment and, should need arise, of reduction of the pressure, which can be regulated depending on the temperatures in the parts of the measuring head in which the thermometers 36 are located.

[0059] The rewinding machine 2 ensures mutual coordination of the measuring head 3 and the textile being measured 5. This means that it ensures the motion of the textile being measured 5 in a longitudinal direction, measuring of the relative position of the measuring head 3 with respect to the beginning of the textile being measured, placing and transferrring the measuring head/measuring heads 3 in relation to the edges of the textile 5 in a crosswise direction to reach the measuring position or the calibration position, ensures reaching and maintaining the distance of the measuring head/measuring heads 3 and its/their acceptable allowances from the textile 5, moving the measuring head/measuring heads 3 from the textile 5 during the passage of the seam of textiles sewn together, as well as electronic identification of individual pieces of sewn textiles 5 and the identification of the position of the measuring head/measuring heads 3 in relation to the surface of the textile 5.

[0060] The rewinding machine 2 comprises means of moving textile 5 through the measuring zone. The textile 5 is at the inlet of the rewinding machine 2 either wound on a cylindrical package, which is either coupled to an unillustrated drive or it is connected with a known unillustrated draw-off device of the textile 5, or the textile 5 is multi-folded and is fed to the rewinding machine 2 by a feeding device 20, as is shown in Fig. 6a. At the outlet of the rewinding machine 2 a winding device 21 is arranged, in which the textile is wound on a cylindrical package 211, as is shown in Fig. 3 and 4, or an unillustrated draw-off device and folding device. The tension of the textile 5 required for measuring is ensured in a well-known manner by regulating the speed of the process of unwinding or drawing-off the textile 5 and by regulating the speed of the process of winding or drawing-off. If needed, the rewinding machine 2 may be equipped with well-known means of stretching the textile 5 in a crosswise direction. The rewinding machine 2 is further provided with means of measuring the distance of the point of measurement measured on the textile 5 from the beginning of the textile 5, or from another predetermined point on the textile which enables to associate a particular colour value obtained by measuring with a particular point on the textile 5.

[0061] The sensor of the distance of the measuring head 3 from the textile being measured 5 is connected to the control circuit of the vertical motion of the measuring head 3, by which means a constant distance of the measuring orifice 300 of the integrating sphere 30 of the measuring head 3 from the textile 5, typically 1 ± 0,05 mm, is maintained. At the same time, by controlling the distance of the measuring head 3 the circumferential run-out of the cylindrical package 211 is eliminated during measuring with the measuring head located above the point of the contact of the textile being measured 5 with the cylindrical package 211, as it is shown in Fig. 3.

[0062] If the textile to be measured 5 is or may be sewn from several pieces of fabric, another sensor of the distance of the textile 5 is arranged on the rewinding machine 2 in front of the measuring head 3 in a defined distance, which is able to discover in advance the passage of the seam and its thickness and gives a signal to shift the measuring head 3 temporarily from the textile 5 and after the passage of the seam it gives a signal to move it back to reach the measuring distance. The position of the seam is stored in the memory of the computer 4.

[0063] In some cases the rewinding of the textile 5 in the reversed order is carried out after the measurement is completed. This may be used for measuring in the opposite direction, and if the measuring head/heads 3 is/are placed to a different position in relation to the textile 5, it contributes to obtaining more accurate results of measurement or it results in reducing the number of measuring heads 3 by half. During the reversed rewinding, the position of the seam is known and therefore it is not necessary to use another sensor located in the opposite direction.

[0064] Moving the measuring head 3 away from the textile due to the passage of the seam and/or the colour of the sewing thread of the seam itself leave distinct tracks in the colour signal which can be used to identify reliably the end of the previous and the beginning of the next piece of the textile 5. If the beginning of the piece of the textile is provided with a suitable electronically detectable identification label and if the rewinding machine is equipped with a corresponding reading device, it is possible to detect automatically which piece of the textile is being measured. The label may also convey information encoded in various ways, e.g. as a bar code, QR code, colour code, or electronic code, it may be printed, e.g., or it may be in the form of an electronic card or chip.

[0065] As already stated in the chapter describing the background art, the problem of the translucence of the textile 5 when measured is solved by its multiple folding under the point of measurement. In the example of embodiment according to Fig. 3, the textile 5 being measured is guided in the measuring place along the circumference of the cylindrical package 211 in the winding device 21 so that it is supported and screened by the package 211. The direction and the place of measurement are in the following drawings indicated by a dashed arrow. The textile 5 is in a known manner unwound from the cylindrical package or withdrawn from folders and is guided in front of the winding roller 211 of the winding device 21 through a pair of guide rollers 212, whose axes are parallel to the axis of the winding roll 211. The guide rollers 212 are mounted adjustable in relation to the axis of the winding roller 211 in a perpendicular direction to the plane 50 of measurement, whereby the guide rollers 212 or the winding roller 211 may be mounted adjustable. To avoid oscillation of the textile 5 at the point of measurement, the plane 50 of measurement is tangent to the surface of the cylindrical package 211, whereby the speed of the motion of the textile 5 and the speed of the circumference of the cylindrical package 211 is almost the same and has the same sense, the difference in speed being negligible. Although in practice bending of the textile 5 on the circumference of the cylindrical package 211 at the point of measurement may occur, it is necessary, however, to maintain the bending is as small as possible. Nevertheless, measuring the colour of the textile 5 above the cylindrical package 211 has its limitations. The first one consists in that measuring cannot be started unless at least one layer of the textile being measured 5 is wound on the cylindrical package 211, preferably, though, two layers. Therefore, it is not possible to start measuring from the very beginning of the textile 5. The second one is similar and it applies to the textiles that have been sewn together, wherein measurement can be started after the seam passes through the first, preferably the second layer of the package behind the measuring field of the integrating sphere 30. Consequently, apart from the position of the seam, it is necessary to know also the current diameter of the package 211. This type of screen can be also used for textiles whose face and reverse sides differ in colour.

[0066] Another alternative of the arrangement of multiple layers of a textile under the point of measurement is represented in Fig. 4. The textile 5 is guided reversedly via two pairs of guide rollers arranged above the cylindrical package 211 of the winding device 21. The pair of inner guide rollers 213 is coupled to a known unillustrated drive and touches the surface of the cylindrical package 211 and is used to drive it. The outer pair of the winding rollers 212 is arranged in a greater distance from the surface of the package 211 and their upper tangential plane 50 is perpendicular to the direction of measurement and is above the upper tangential plane of the inner pair of the guide rollers 213. The textile 5 is guided onto the first of the outer pair of the guide rollers 212, from which it is guided onto the second of the outer pair of the guide rollers 212, which is wrapped by it and passes to the upper portion of the first of the pair of the inner guide rollers 213, from which it is guided onto the second of the pair of the inner guide rollers 213, which is also wrapped by it, whereupon the textile 5 is guided in the direction opposite to the direction of its motion between the pair of the inner guide rollers 213 and is wound on the cylindrical package 211. The cylindrical package 211 is pushed to the guide rollers 213 of the inner pair by the force of compression springs 210, as is illustrated in Fig. 4. This arrangement cannot be used for textile materials 5 whose face and reverse sides differ in colour

[0067] The arrangement of multiple layers of the textile under the point of measurement according to Fig. 5a comprises also a pair of outer guide rollers 212 and a pair of inner guide rollers 213, unlike the embodiment according to Fig. 4 however the inner guide rollers 213 do not contact the cylindrical package 211 and the textile 5 is guided from the second inner guide roller 213 to be wound or folded outside the space of the guide rollers 212, 213.

[0068] According to Fig. 5b, the embodiment according to Fig. 5a comprises an additional pair of auxiliary inner guide rollers 214. The textile, having wrapped the second of the pair of the inner guide rollers 213, passes to the first of the pair of auxiliary inner guide rollers 214, from which it continues onto the second, from which it is guided to be wound or folded outside the space of the guide rollers 212, 213, 214.

[0069] In the embodiment according to Fig. 5c, the pair of the inner guide rollers 213 is arranged between and above the outer guide rollers of the pair 212, whereas the pair of the auxiliary inner guide rollers 214 is arranged between and under the outer guide rollers of the pair 212. The textile is guided under the first and second roller of the pair of the inner guide rollers 213, from the second roller 213 the textile 5 passes to the first roller of the pair of the outer rollers 212, from which it continues onto the second outer guide roller 212. After that the textile 5 returns and passes across the upper portions of the pair of the auxiliary inner guide rollers 214, from which it is guided to be wound or folded outside the space of the guide rollers 212, 213, 214. None of the arrangements according to Fig. 5a-c is suitable for textiles with a different colour of the face and reverse sides.

[0070] Another possibility of creating multiple layers of the textile 5, which can be with advantage used for the textiles stored in folds, is winding the end of the textile on a board 201 or a flat frame and place it under the point of measurement. In this variant, substantially any number of layers of this textile can be under the textile being measured 5 without having technical problems with the guide rollers used in the preceding embodiments. The folds of textile 5 to be measuredare are placed in a tub 202, as is illustrated in Fig. 6a, or on a depositing stand 203, represented in Fig. 6b, or on a flat carriage 204 with low sidewalls, as is shown in Fig. 6c, or on another known suitable means, from which the textile 5 is withdrawn by a feeding device 20 and is fed to the measuring place above the layers of the textile 5 wound on the board 201 or the frame and is further guided to a known depositing place, such as a winding device, where it is wound on a winding roller or a folding device, on which it is folded. In all of these embodiments, it is advantageous that when the textile is stored folded, both the beginning and the end of the fabric are available at the same time.

[0071] In the example of embodiment in Fig. 7, under the textile 5 to be measured there are several layers of a strip cut off the same textile 5 wound on the board 201 or the frame. The textile 5 of the cut-off strip is wound onto the board 201 or the frame in such a manner that on the surface there is the same side of the textile that is being measured that is face-face or reverse side-reverse side. The board 201 or the frame with the cut-off strip of the textile 5 are put into the rewinding machine so that on the occurrence of an accidental contact of the textile being measured 5 with the textile wound on the board 201 or the frame, the package on the board 201 or on the frame would be tightened, not rolled up. The board 201 is replaceable, boards 201 with wound samples can be archived for case repeated production is measured. This solution is independent of the method of feeding and withdrawing the textile being measured 5. In all the illustrated examples the direction and place of measurement are indicated by a dashed arrow.

[0072] In an unillustrated embodiment, the screen used under the textile being measured at the point of measurement is in various precisely defined colours, preferably in the grey spectrally neutral colour, whose spectrum has a constant reflectivity for all wavelengths in the domain of the measured light. Consequently, the screen affects only the component of the lightness L* and does not influence the colour components of the hue a* and b*. The measurement is more accurate, since the screen does not affect the two most important components of the three components of colour, and so the correction calculation is easier and faster. The closer the hue of the grey colour of the screen to the hue of the colour of the textile 5 being measured, converted into black and white, i.e. the closer the lightness L* of the screen to the lightness L* of the textile measured, the smaller the deviation of the measured lightness L*. In an advantagous embodiment, the screens having a different degree of lightness of neutral grey can be changed as needed. Also, they may be arranged on a sliding magazine or revolving magazine or in any other suitable manner.

[0073] As has been already mentioned, the measuring heads 3 are mounted adjustably crosswise to the direction of the textile being measured 5 and in a perpendicular direction to the textile being measured 5.

[0074] In the example of embodiment according to Fig. 8a, b, the measuring head 3 is mounted on a movable member 2231, which is adjustably mounted on a vertical linear guide system 223, and coupled to a drive, which is in the illustrated embodiment composed of a stepping motor 224 for providing a vertical movement of the measuring head 3, that is its movement towards the textile 5 being measured and away from it. In order to control the stepping motor 224 for providing the vertical movement of the measuring head 3 a known control circuit is used (not shown), in which is included an unillustrated sensor of the distance of the measuring orifice 300 of the measuring head from the textile 5 which is usually arranged on the measuring head 3.

[0075] The stepping motor 224 for providing the vertical movement of the measuring head 3 is mounted on the vertical linear guide system 223, on which a bracket 2232 is also firmly mounted. The vertical linear guide system 223 is provided with carriages 222, which are adjustably mounted on the rails 221 of a cross beam 22, which is mounted on the rewinding machine 2 crosswise to the direction of the motion of the textile 5 being measured. On the cross beam 22 there is mounted a rack 225, to which a pinion 226 is coupled, which is mounted in a bearing countershaft 227 and coupled by means of a flexible coupling 228 with the stepping motor 229 of the transverse drive of the measuring head 3. The stepping motor 229 of the transverse motion of the measuring head 3 is mounted on the bracket 2232, which is mounted on the vertical linear guide system 223, thus being coupled to the measuring head 3. If there is no electricity supply in the stepping motor 229, it ensures a steady position of the measuring head 3 in the crosswise direction. If the stepping motor 229 is supplied with current, the motor 229 starts to rotate and the measuring head 3 is shifted in the crowise direction. If there are more measuring heads 3, each of them is coupled with one stepping motor 229 of the transverse motion of the measuring head. It is possible to move all the measuring heads 3 at the same time or just the selected ones. Placing more measuring heads 3 on a common cross beam 22 does not allow the heads to pass one another and swap their positions.

[0076] Another example of embodiment of the arrangement of the measuring head 3 on a rewinding machine 2 is shown in Fig. 9a, b. The measuring head 3 is mounted on a cross beam 22 in the same way as in the embodiment according to Fig. 8a, b. The means of moving the measuring head 3 along the cross beam 22 are different. On the edges of the cross beam 22 is mounted a driving pulley 230 and a reversible pulley 231, which are wrapped by a toothed belt 232. The driving pulley 230 is coupled to a stepping motor 233 of the transverse drive of the measuring head 3, which is common to all the measuring heads 3 arranged on the same cross beam 22. Each measuring head 3 is coupled wih a pulley 234 of the transverse drive of the measuring head 3, which is wrapped by a toothed belt 232. The wrapping of the pulley 234 is increased by means of a guide roller 236 and a guide roller 237, which are mounted on the smooth side of the toothed belt 232 on both sides of the pulley 234 and whose pivots are rotatably mounted in a bracket 2232. At the opposite end of the countershaft 235 of the pulley 234 of the transverse drive of the measuring head 3 there is an electromagnetic coupling 238 mounted, which is by its stationary portion mounted on the bracket 2232. If the electromagnetic coupling 238 is in not switched condition and the stepping motor 233 of the drive pulley 230 rotates, the toothed belt 232 moves, turning the belt pulley 234, which rotates freely in the coupling 238, whereas the measuring head 3 does not move in the crosswise direction. As soon as the coupling 238 is connected, the measuring head 3 starts moving crosswise along the cross beam 22. In this embodiment it is possible to move the measuring heads 3 mounted on the cross beam 22, by one stepping motor 233 - either all of them, or selectively. In this embodiment, too, the measuring heads 3 cannot exchange their positions.

[0077] Using the method of measuring acording to the invention, prior to the beginning of continuous measurement, initial measurement of colour is performed on the textile 5 which has been stopped during the contact of the measuring orifice 300 of the integrating sphere 30 of the measuring head 3 with the textile 5, which is a method corresponding to the laboratory measurement methods, and a second measurement above the textile 5 which has been stopped at a working, i.e. nominal distance of the measuring orifice 300 of the integrating sphere 30 from the textile, namely typically 1 mm, with a reduced tolerance ± 0.02 of mm. From the results of both measurements, correction relations for the mutual conversion of the measured values are determined. These correction relations are afterwards used also for the conversion of the measurement results above the moving textile 5 to values which would correspond to the measurement at the point of the contact of the measuring orifice 300 with the textile 5 on the textile which has been stopped. This is made possible by the fact that the influence of the speed of the moving textile 5 on the results of colour measurements is negligible, as well as a change in the working distance of the measuring head 3 from the textile of ± 0.05 mm. This method of determining the correction involves also the elimination of the influence of the ambient light which has penetrated through the gap between the textile 5 and the edge of the measuring orifice 300 into the integrating sphere 30. At the same time, it is possible and also advisable to carry out the measurements and the calculation of the correction relations whenever a significant change in the ambient light occurs, e.g. with the illumination by the daylight in the morning, at noon, in the evening, at the moment of the electrical lighting being switched on and off, etc. That means that the measurements are repeated at selected time or length intervals.

[0078] So as to achieve quality of measurements using the method according to the invention, it is necessary to carry out the calibration of the measuring chain of the colour measurement. A magazine 6 of reference tiles 60, illustrated in Fig. 10a, b, is mounted outside of the maximum width of the textile 5 being measured on the rewinding machine. The magazine 6 of reference tiles comprises a linear guide system 61, on which a slider 62 is mounted, coupled to a stepping motor 63. On the slider 62 a reference board 64 and a system of reference tiles 60 are mounted, composed in the illustrated embodiment of a white reference tile 601, black reference tile 602 and a control reference tile 603. The upper surface of the reference board 64 constitutes a reference plane 641 for an unillustrated sensor of the distance of the measuring orifice 300 of the measuring head 3, which is used both for monitoring the distance from the textile 5, and for monitoring the distance from the reference tiles 60. The reference tiles 60 are mounted on springs 65. The system of reference tiles 60 may be supplemented with additional reference tiles which are required. The linear guide system of the reference tiles is mounted parallel to the direction of the motion of the textile 5.

[0079] During calibration, the measuring head 3 is moved above a respective reference tile 60 and by its measuring orifice 300 gets into contact with the reference tile 60. The replacement of the reference tiles 60 under the measuring head 3 is carried out after lifting the measuring head 3 by moving a slider 62 along the linear guide system 61. If the rewinding machine 2 comprises more than one measuring head 3, the measuring head 3 moves after the calibration to a parking position outside the textile and outside the space of calibration, thus making way for the next measuring head 3 above the reference tiles 60.

[0080] Due to the flexible mounting of the reference tiles 60 there is no risk of damaging the reference tiles 60 or the measuring head 3 upon the contact of the reference tiles 60 and the measuring head 3. After all the measuring heads 3 have taken turns in occupying the calibration position, the measuring heads 3 resume their original positions or get into new preselected positions in relation to the edge of the textile 5.

[0081] Standard reference tiles can be purchased also with calibration values and a certificate of metrological compatibility. Instead of standard reference tiles for calibration it is possible to use any suitable colour samples of sufficient colour stability, metrologically linked to the standards by the user. The black reference tile is generally realized by the so-called light trap - a cavity which simulates the absorption of an absolutely black body. The magazine with reference tiles has a defined reference plane from which the laser sensor of the distance of the measuring head from the textile measures the distance of the measuring head from the reference tiles.

[0082] Continuous colour measurement of a textile according to the method dislosed in the invention is carried out in pre-defined saw-tooth or longitudinal parallel tracks while the textile is moving, using a general integrator, particularly an integrating sphere 30, and a simultaneous two-channel spectrum analyzer 31. Several layers of the same textile or one layer of defined colour are used as a screen of the textile 5 under the point of measurement.

[0083] To make the continuous measurements more accurate, the method can be supplemented with carrying out measurements on occasionally or in predefined areas stopped textile 5 with the measuring orifice 300 being in contact with the textile 5.

[0084] In addition, other measurements may be added during the reverse winding of the textile 5.

Industrial applicability

[0085] The invention may be applied for continuous monitoring the colour of flat textiles and it is also possible to include the measuring machine according to the invention in a continuous dyeing line and to influence the process of dyeing via feedback.

List of references

[0086] 

1

measuring machine

2

rewinding machine

20

feeding device

201

board

202

tub

203

stand

204

carriage with low sidewalls

21

winding device

211

cylindrical package

212

guide rollers

213

guide rollers

214

guide rollers

22

cross beam

221

rail of cross beam

222

carriage of vertical linear guide system

223

vertical linear guide system

224

stepping motor of vertical linear guide system

225

toothed rack of cross beam

226

toothed pinion

227

bearing countershaft

228

flexible coupling

229

stepping motor of transverse drive of measuring head

230

driving pulley

231

reversible pulley

232

toothed belt

233

stepping motor of transverse drive

234

pulley of transverse drive of measuring head

235

countershaft

236

guide roller

237

guide roller

238

coupling of transverse drive of measuring head

3

measuring head

30

integrating sphere

300

measuring orifice

301

light source

302

shade

303

inlet collimator of reference light

304

luminous conductor of reference light

305a

collimator of measured light

305b

inlet collimator of measured light

306

luminous conductor of measured light

31

two-channel simultaneous spectrum analyzer

311

outlet collimator of reference light

312

outlet collimator of measured light

32

stabilized power supply of analyzer

33

stabilized power supply of light source of integrating sphere

34

ventilator

341

ventilator of first circuit

342

ventilator of second circuit

35

stabilized power supply of ventilator

351

stabilized power supply of ventilator of the first circuit

352

stabilized power supply of ventilator of the second circuit

36

thermometer

361

thermometer of the first circuit

362

thermometer of the second circuit

4

computer

5

textile being measured

50

plane perpendicular to direction of measurement

6

magazine of reference tiles

60

reference tiles

601

white reference tile

602

black reference tile

603

control reference tile

61

linear guide system of reference tiles

62

slider

63

stepping motor of reference tiles

64

reference board

641

reference plane

65

spring

Claims

1. A method of continuous colour measurement of flat textiles on a measuring machine (1), in which the flat textile (5) being measured is guided along a predetermined path, its surface is at the point of measurement illuminated and its colour is monitored by means of a sensor for detecting colours, which is connected with an evaluating device, characterized in that the moving textile (5) being measured is at the point of measurement illuminated by diffuse light, which is generated in an integrator from reference light radiated by a source (301) of light, whereby the diffuse light comes out of the integrator through a measuring orifice (300), whose distance from the textile (5) is maintained constant, and, simultaneously, the light being measured which contains diffuse light reflected and scattered off the textile (5) is sensed from the inner surface of the integrator by one channel, whereas the reference light of the source (301) of light is sensed by the other channel, whereupon the instantaneous spectrum of the reference light is measured as well as the instantaneous spectrum of the measured light merged with the spectrum of the reference light, and from these values the spectrum of the colour of the textile (5) being measured is computed, whereby the translucence of the textile (5) being measured is compensated for by placing a suitable screen under the textile (5) being measured at the point of measuring.

2. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that before starting continuous measurements, the first colour measurement is carried out on the textile (5), which has been stopped, at the point of the contact of the measuring orifice (300) of the integrator with the textile (5) and the second measurement is performed above the textile (5), which has been stopped, at a nominal distance of the measuring orifice (300) from the textile (5), whereby both results of measurement are used to determine a corrective coefficient for the following continuous measurements.

3. The method according to Claim 2, characterized in that stopping the textile (5) and colour measurement during the contact of the measuring orifice (300) with the textile (5) and colour measurement at a nominal distance of the measuring orifice (300) from the textile (5) are repeated at selected time or length intervals.

4. The method according to any of the previous Claims, characterized in that the computed spectrum of the colour of the textile (5) being measured is assigned to a particular point of the textile (5), on which the measurement was performed and the spectrum of the colour of the textile (5) being measured together with the assigned point of the textile (5) are stored in the memory and/or are displayed and/or are used for feedback control of the dyeing process.

5. The method according to any of the previous Claims, characterized in that the integrator is an integrating sphere (30).

6. The method according to any of the previous Claims, characterized in that the measurement is carried out also during the reverse motion of the textile, whereby the integrator occupies a different crosswise position relative to the textile.

7. The method according to any of the previous Claims, characterized in that at least two integrators are used, arranged in different areas of the textile.

8. A measuring machine for carrying out the method according to any of the previous Claims, comprising means of transferring the textile (5) within the measuring zone, means of stretching the textile and at least one measuring head (3) movable crosswise to the direction of the motion of the textile, characterized in that the measuring head (3) comprises a source (301) of reference light and an integrator for generating diffuse light from the reference light, provided at the point of measurement with a measuring orifice (300), whereby the measuring head (3) is mounted on a cross beam (22) and is coupled to means of monitoring and maintaining a constant vertical distance of the measuring orifice (300) of the integrator from the textile (5) during the measurement, the integrator being connected by two luminous conductor (304, 306) to a two-channel simultaneous spectrum analyzer (31), whose outlet is connected to a computer (4), whereby at the point of measurement there is a screen under the textile (5) to compensate for the translucence of the textile (5) during the measurement process.

9. The measuring machine according to Claim 8, characterized in that the integrator is composed of an integrating sphere (30).

10. The measuring machine according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the measuring zone under the textile (5) being measured there is at least one layer of the same textile (5).

11. The measuring machine according to Claim10, characterized in that the layer/layers serving as a screen for the textile (5) being measured at the point of measurement is/are composed of a cylindrical package (211).

12. The measuring machine according to Claim 10, characterized in that the layer/layers serving as a screen under the textile (5) being measured at the point of measurement is/are formed by reversedly guided textile (5) being measured, which has already passed through the point of measurement.

13. The measuring machine according to Claim10, characterized in that the layer/layers used as a screen for the textile being measured is/are formed by the inner end of the textile (5) stored in folds, the beginning of which is inserted in a feeding device (20) and is guided through the measuring place to a depositing place.

14. The measuring machine according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the measuring zone the textile (5) being measured is provided with a screen of grey achromatic colour which is identical or similar by its lightness to that of the textile (5) being measured.

15. The measuring machine according one of the Claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the measuring head (3) is mounted on a movable member (2231), which is mounted adjustably in the vertical direction on the vertical linear guide system (223), which is mounted on a cross beam (22), whereby the movable member (2231) is coupled to a drive (224) in the control circuit of which a sensor of the distance of the measuring orifice (300) from the textile (5) is included.

16. The measuring machine according to Claim 15, characterized in that the movable member (2231) with the measuring head (3) is mounted adjustably in a crosswise direction on a cross beam (22), whereby it is adjustable in a crosswise direction outside the width of the textile (5), where a magazine (6) of reference tiles is arranged, and the measuring orifice (300) of the integrator can occupy a position above the reference tile (60), approach it and get into contact with it.

Drawing